UPS tips

If you’re addicted to coffee, partial to New World wine, enjoy skiing at weekends, and have a picture of Kurt Cobain on your wall, Washington could be your Nirvana.

In her Michelin three star restaurant Atelier Crenn in San Francisco, Dominique Crenn creates dishes that have been described as gastronomic poetry in their complex, ethereal visuals and flavor. As the culinary consultant for the film “The Menu,” her dishes served at a fictional temple of gastronomy, were unlike anything a diner had ever seen. In February, dishes created by the chef began rolling out in Air France’s premium cabins that, while not as wild as the film’s creations, are also creative, delicious and uniquely hers.

You’ll rarely, if ever, find cowboy boots on a “best travel shoe” packing list; they tend to be heavy, bulky, and difficult to fit in a checked bag, let alone a carry-on suitcase. But if you’re committed to the recent resurgence in Western wear popularity—and feeling inspired by Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album, Bella Hadid’s appearances on the rodeo circuit, or vintage Ralph Lauren photos—you’re more than likely plotting how to pack a pair of cowboy boots for upcoming travels. They are, after all, essential for trips to places like Nashville and Austin, and fit right in at a country music concert.

Flying on Japan Airlines has always been, well, delightfully Japanese. Think of it as an introduction—or if departing from Tokyo, a bid farewell—to the country’s characteristic tenets of respectful, nearly differential service; seafood-forward and fresh cuisine; and commitment to cultural traditions. (Onboard oshiburi, anyone?) Add in comfortable seats across all cabins—yes, even decent economy ones with 34 inches of recline—and you have an experience worth writing home about. Or at least not complaining to someone about.

If you’re from Southeastern USA, you know what 30A is. If you’re unfamiliar, let me paint you a picture: 30A is a series of darling beach towns along a 24-mile scenic highway overlooking the white sands and turquoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico. 

TPG staffers are huge fans of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, happily paying its annual fee each year and listing it as one of the cards we can't live without. We love that this card earns bonus points on travel and dining and allows us to transfer our points to valuable transfer partners.

If you've been thinking about applying for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card — and even if you haven't, you'll want to hear this — now's a good time to do so because you can currently earn 75,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.

One of the most popular Las Vegas casino resorts is turning 25, so what better time to reveal a $1.5 billion face-lift?

‘She’ll come to your hotel, looking incredibly elegant, charm everyone and then at 4am you’ll get an email full of highly insightful suggestions because she’s also a farmer’s daughter and she works around the clock.’

Many travel credit cards have similar names, and that can be confusing. It seems like every card name contains the word platinum, preferred, premier or reserve somewhere in the title. It's important to know the distinctions between each because the benefits you'll find on each card can vary dramatically.

The only thing better than devising a powerful points strategy for yourself is joining forces with your significant other to rake in even more rewards.

Montreal is an island unto itself. An architect’s paradise. A foodie’s dream, where a pastry will make you weep. It’s a city of extremes. The grandiose maximalism of Cirque du Soleil and Arcade Fire. The gritty punk scene and the thriving diner (casse-croûte) culture. Hot bacchanalian summers that never sleep, and cold brooding winters that draw you underground and inward. Perhaps that’s why it’s also a city of great style.

As Irina Strembitsky and her mom planned a winter getaway last fall, they never imagined they'd become victims of a vacation rental scam. Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened, and Strembitsky says it ruined their much-anticipated trip.

While neon-lit Tokyo moves ahead at hyperspeed, Kyoto ambles along at a leisurely pace. During its thousand-year reign as Japan’s imperial city, artisans from around the country flocked here to hone their skills in nishijin-ori silk weaving and kyo-yaki pottery. Today, in its traditional machiya town houses, ceramicists and woodworkers still produce the same fine wares as their ances- tors. But a group of younger makers is shaking up the scene, opening next-gen ateliers, teahouses, and concept stores that swap the sometimes-intimidating rules and rituals of traditional crafts with modern designs and easygoing retail spaces. Whatever the approach, one thing is for sure in Kyoto: The handmade reigns supreme.

Ever dreamed of spending a night in the Ferrari Museum in Maranello, Italy, tucked in a bed crafted with the same leather as Ferrari car seats? What’s more, you’ll be surrounded by 110 elite trophies and encircled by the Ferrari cars that won those accolades and feel the speed of the Ferrari 296GTB on a private ride on the Pista di Fiorano, Ferrari’s private racetrack.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live and work in space?

Peering up at the snow-laced peaks hemming in the mountain town of Crested Butte, Colorado, it's hard to believe more than 1,400 people once crowded into this long narrow valley 8,885 feet up in the Colorado Rockies in the mid-1800s, weathering the winter in tents and shanties.

It’s been a year since we sat down with Daniel Calvert, the executive chef behind SÉZANNE in the Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi. And what a year, at that. Last May he shared secrets on how to pair wine with his award-winning cuisine. Now his esteemed French-inspired dining room has been named the best restaurant in all of Asia. The recognition came by way of World’s 50 Best Restaurants, which delivers its annual Asia-specific rankings each spring.

I pulled into the tiny hamlet of Hirase, in Japan’s Gifu prefecture, at the peak of the day’s heat. I’d just climbed several thousand feet through Hakusan National Park, on a twisting, waterfall-lined road, before eventually descending into the shimmering fantasy landscape of Shirakawa-go, an almost Tolkien-esque small village—and UNESCO heritage site—comprised of centuries-old thatched, peaked-roof farmhouses in the gassho-zukuri style. Replenishing myself with a black-sesame ice cream cone, I made the last push towards my destination. My cycling computer eventually told me “destination reached,” but all I could see was a succession of closed businesses lining a small street. Seeking shade, I flopped against a security gate.

The International Spirits Challenge is one of the longest running competitions in the liquor industry. Since 2007, the organization has been handing out medals across all major categories of adult beverage, with the top liquids receiving what it dubs “Key Tasting Awards.” At the end of last year, the prestigious panel of judges doled out this distinction in the bourbon space to W.L. Weller 12 Year.

Whether one’s mother is just starting to take lessons or is the Singles Champ of her club, anyone can benefit from some serious tennis coaching. Since many tennis programs are also located in destinations that are tempting vacation spots as well, holiday time goes along with the training.